Caitlin Clark Is Progressing With Injury; Still Not Practicing
Indiana Fever Head Coach Stephanie white reported Monday that Caitlin Clark is progressing from an injured right groin but still is not practicing. Caitlin Clark has not played since suffering the injury in the final minute of an 85-77 victory over the Connecticut Sun on July 15. There is no timetable for when one of the league’s most popular players could return.
Caitlin Clark Out With Injury
Indiana Fever Coach White said after practice Monday, “No return to practice, she’s been able to get a little bit more of her full-court running with all of her body weight. “It’s really building up from doing minimal to building some endurance to do longer periods of time. She’s been able to do a little more on the court in terms of how she moves, but not into practice shape.”
Clark is 7-of-49 from 3-point range in her last seven appearances and has failed to make a triple in three separate games. For the season, she’s shooting 36.7% from the field, including 27.9% from behind the arc. Clark is still putting up 16.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game. She is second in the league in assists.
There have been three different muscle injuries that Caitlin Clark has dealt with this season, forcing her to miss 19 of 32 games. Not only has Caitlin Clark been out of the lineup, but so have her teammates Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald. They both suffered season-ending injuries. The Fever signed Odyssey Sims to a hardship contract on Sunday. Sims has averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.5 rebounds during her 11-year career, which included an All-Star selection in 2019.
Final Thoughts
Indiana is hoping that Clark can come back for the playoffs if she is unable to come back for the rest of the season. The Fever are taking things slow with their star player and not rushing the process of her injury. Clark, last season’s WNBA Rookie of the Year, was averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, and 5.0 rebounds before her latest injury.
However, with Clark out of the lineup, the Fever have managed well without her. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games and are 18-14 and fifth in the standings. They are close enough to still be in the mix for home-court advantage in the first round. The Fever are taking on Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings Tuesday night without Clark in the lineup.
